Enterprises (e.g., trade, business, or administrative entities) often use documents or messages sent over electronic networks linking the enterprises' data communications systems for electronic data interchange (EDI).
An EDI data model adopted for a data communications system may dictate a structure of an electronic document or message that can be generated, interchanged, or properly processed by the data communications system. An electronic data interchange (EDI) document generally contains the same information that would normally be found in a paper document used by enterprises for the same purpose. For example, an EDI purchase order document like a paper purchase order document, may include data fields or elements for an ‘order header,’ an ‘order party,’ a ‘buyer party,’ and a ‘nameaddress’ in sequence. However, the data model merely gives rules for the structure or data format of the electronic documents. Two documents can have the same EDI structure or data format, but may contain different sets of information in the data fields or elements. Further, EDI data models are not unique or universal. Different communication systems that may be deployed for communications between enterprises may be based on different technology platforms, and may have adopted diverse EDI data models. These diverse EDI data models limit interoperability or interchange of documents across interfaces between different types of data communication systems. A document conforming to a data model in one type of data communication system may not be recognized or properly processed in a second, type of data communication system that uses a different data model.
Approaches toward facilitating interoperability or interchange of documents between different types of communication systems involve attempts at standardization, technical mapping and/or translation of documents. In these approaches, the semantics of interface and data models may be considered case-by-case in an ad hoc or piecemeal manner.
Consideration is now being given to developing a canonical data model for integrating electronic data interchange aspects of diverse data communication systems. Attention is directed in particular to integrating data systems processes for electronic data interchange by analysis of semantics and learning.